Fashion, Baby
by NearlyNear
Summary: Mihael Keehl needs a model, fellow designer/boss, L Lawliet has just the one for him but will their differences get between them in the workplace or will Mihael eventually come to realize that Nate isn't just a model to him anymore? This may delve into darker themes in the modeling industry as I continue writing, including anorexia and other eating disorders. Fast paced!
1. Chapter 1

"You needed a model, Mihael. I promise you, he is as talented as any woman in the industry, I've seen several of his shows and hired him once or twice myself." L Lawliet paused, studying his apprentice's face, the pure embodiment of disgust currently.

"Have I ever led you astray, Mihael?" L sighed, raising an eyebrow at the short-tempered blonde. "I'll go grab him so you two can talk about the contract, I'm not letting you pass up this opportunity."

Mihael watched in horror as his mentor stood, walking to the door. "He's here? This was never an option to begin with, was it, L?" The raven-haired man paused at the door, looking back at the blonde with a grin, "Of course not, I know you will come around and see things my way eventually." Mihael could only huff in response, indignant as usual. He didn't want to meet this Nate guy that L thought so highly of. Not when he had specifically requested a female model, not a scrawny boy in heels. At this point there was no getting around it, however. L had made his decision and Mihael had to take Nate for at least a "test-drive" or risk making his mentor _very_ angry with him.

So he waited, anxiously, to meet the boy who was to model for him. He didn't have to wait long as L returned in a matter of minutes with a boy so pale and white-haired he might disappear if thrown in snow naked. He was wearing what must have been what he considered casual attire, consisting of a loose fitting pastel blue sweater and white skinny jeans, feet in a pair of short, grey heels. He looked anything but comfortable, however, and was tugging at his wavy, white hair continuously, a habit that would need to be broken if he was to succeed as a model, Mihael noted. Almost reminded him too much of L… It wouldn't do to have someone who looked so positively out of place and fidgety walking down a runway, not with _his_ name on the line with him.

There was an awkward moment between them as Mihael stared Nate down, until L cleared his throat, "I'll leave the two of you to it, have fun getting to know one another. The contract papers are all on the coffee table." The older designer disappeared from the room with that and Nate returned to looking up at Mihael, somewhat impatiently.

"Stop playing with your hair, it's unprofessional." Those happened to be Mihael's first words to the young man who had so much to prove to him. They could have been the last too, with the look Nate gave him, hand falling to his side.

"I wasn't aware leather was listed under the curtain term of 'professional' either, Mr. Keehl." Nate's first sarcastic retort towards Mihael was bitter and sharp but his tone remained flat and calm like the steely pools that were his eyes. That made Mihael's eye twitch, ' _It's called fashion, Nate, have you ever heard of it?'_ He wanted to snap back but stopped himself, motioning for Nate to take a seat across from him, which the boy did, folding one leg against his chest. Odd sitting position, another flawed habit to be broken, Mihael took note of everything that would need to be changed in order to perfect his new model. The stubborn resilience in the boy's eyes told that this would not be easy.

"So L chose, you, what history do you have with him?" Mihael tried conversation after taking a deep breath. Nate looked over at him from across the mirror-coated coffee table, head tilted just slightly.

"Did L not tell you himself?" Nate fired back almost immediately, pausing before giving Mihael an actual answer, "I worked for him several times, not only that, but I have been on his list for potential models to permanently hire for a while now, I think he is going for something like that between us…" Nate paused again, one hand finding its way up to his hair to twirl a curl between his slender fingers again. "I figured he would have mentioned the specifics of our arrangement to his apprentice. This isn't supposed to be a one time thing, Mihael." He didn't hesitate to use Mihael's first name this time, losing formalities with him already. Two could play at this game, but Mihael could turn things around on Nate just as easily.

"Well, Mr. River, it was my understanding that we were only to meet and discuss the terms of working together. Not that we are guranteed be working together. I am an independent designer, I can choose my own model if you don't satisfy my requirements. Now. Let's discuss my terms. As designer, I have full reign over what you will be wearing during shows and, in part, what you will be doing after them. I will not permit excessive partying that may damage your health nor will I accept excessive weight gain, meaning that gaining any more than ten pounds will not be tolerated. I can't have you drastically losing weight either. I need my model's size to remain as constant as possible." Mihael paused, looking at Nate for any sign of reacting negatively to his requirements. "Oh and there will be a few habits of yours needing broken. Feet on the ground, sit up straight, and stop playing with your hair. Most important though, I need you to meet me where and when I call you to meet me. This career comes before everything, Nate, I have to be able to trust you to be reliable. I mean… yes, we will typically have meetings scheduled, but I will call you and request that you come in on occasion."

Mihael stood, walking over to Nate, picking up the papers and a pen, handing them to the smaller male. "There are more things written out, mostly minor things of course but still, read through it before signing… I'll want to see you in a few of my designs before we really make this official. L did tell you I design dresses and other women's attire, correct?"

Nate looked up at Mihael, studying the blond's face, taking the papers from him and looking away, focusing on the print before him. He read through it quickly, nothing he hadn't seen before. "Do you want to see me model for you before I sign?" Was all the white-haired male asked, looking up at Mihael after a few minutes of skimming the contract. Mihael was once again surprised by Nate's stoicism but shrugged it off, nodding and heading over to the closet where he kept completed pieces, digging around until he found something sure to get Nate to say _something._ A pair of tight, black leather pants and a silky black button up with three-quarter length sleeves were his weapons of choice, black stilettos and a pair of amber sunglasses topped off the outfit perfectly. He laid the outfit out for Nate to examine as the white-haired male joined him.

"Where should I go to change?"

 _'_ _So much for that. I'll find something another time…'_

"There is an area over there, behind the panels, just toss your current clothing over them as you change into these." Mihael motioned to the other side of the room for Nate, "This outfit should fit you properly, if not call me over and I will see what I can do. Take your time."

"How is this, Mihael?" It was nearly thirty minutes later when Nate's voice caught Mihael's attention and he turned to face the area where Nate had been changing into the outfit provided. The view he was met with was beyond expectations. It would appear Nate had come more than prepared, going as far as to apply shining black lipstick and paint his nails black in stark contrast with his pale skin. To say Nate looked flawless would be an understatement. He was was a statement of boldness, elegance, and beauty coming together as one young model who was no longer the fidgeting, awkward mess of a boy who hardly looked like a professional model. _This_ was why L had sent him to Mihael.

The contract was signed and dozens of photos taken to announce the new face of MK, Mihael Keehl, Nate River.

As anyone who could look into the room where this meeting took place could see, the contract was only the beginning to something much more than a business relationship between designer and model.


	2. Chapter 2

Mihael stared at the phone, spite making the back of his head feel hot. L had set the deadline for Friday for him to finish getting pictures for his newest designs. He had three to go and it was Thursday night. The contact brought up on his phone was that of the _only_ model he had currently available. Nate. Their first meeting had been tense and rocky. He wasn't willing to admit that Nate had looked great in everything he had him wear during their first shoot but now he had to call Nate or face L's wrath when he came in without photos for half of his designs. He picked up the phone, letting an angry sigh go before pressing the "call" button.

It rang once…

Twice…

Three- "Hello?" Nate finally answered, sounding tired.

"I need you at my place. Can I just tell you the address and expect you in thirty minutes?" Mihael shot back quickly, earning a long pause.

"Mihael, it's eleven pm. I'm not presentable."

"Please. Just come over, it's important. It's both of our jobs on the line here."

"... You're an ass. I'll be there."

Mihael told Nate his address and Nate hung up, feeling bitter at having to get himself out of bed at this hour for Mihael. An hour earlier would have killed him apparently.

"Nate, stop playing with your hair, stand up straight and keep your shoulders back. Even when you are not modeling you must look professional." Mihael walked around Nate, circling him several times, smoothing out wrinkles in the soft white and grey dress he was currently fitting to his white-haired model. "Also you are shifting around too much. It is distracting. You might make me stab you with this sewing needle." To make a point, Mihael lightly jabbed Nate in the side, just hard enough to sting. "Stop squirming."

Nate flinched only slightly, shooting Mihael a look that was doubtlessly meant to burn straight through him. It didn't work sadly and Mihael returned to tugging at the material so carefully wrapped around Nate's slim figure. It was late and both males were irritable, Nate more so but showing it less. Mihael showed his frustration in little actions like jabbing Nate with the sewing needle, huffing noisily, and tucking his hair behind his ear with a little more force every time it fell in his way. Nate showed his own annoyance by playing with his hair. He wanted to drive Mihael crazy for making him come over so late. It was ridiculous. No, ridiculous was an understatement. It was purely irritating and irrational. Why couldn't Mihael have called earlier? Why wait until he had showered and crawled in bed and was finally unwinding from a long to ask him to come over just to restyle his hair and dress him up again? _Bastard._ That was why.

Nearly two hours later, Mihael had finally finished fitting his model into each outfit, taken his pictures, and was exhausted but as he put the clothes away, he found it. The soft white dress that was all elegance and lace and beauty that had been his first dress design. Likely his best as well. He looked back at Nate who lingered around, unsure whether or not Mihael had anything else for him to do. He made a decision. He had to see Nate in the dress.

"That's all I had planned for you tonight, Nate, I can't thank you enough for coming over on such short notice. You saved my ass this time. But uhm… I do have a request. This isn't related to the line but, well…" He hesitated, Nate noted, it was out of character.

"I want you to try this on. I won't mess with fitting it exactly, no pictures, just try it on before you go. Please?" Now that was something, Mihael was being polite. It was enough that Nate nodded, allowing himself to be carefully put into the lace-detailed, white-silk dress by Mihael. It took a moment for Nate to notice that Mihael was being much more gentle than before. His hands ghosted over the material that flowed freely across Nate's thin figure.

"Perfect…" Mihael muttered almost silently, hands lingering on Nate's hips, pausing there as they both noticed just how close they were. Nate realized he was holding his breath, releasing it in a shaky sigh as he relaxed, leaning back ever so slightly into Mihael's touch. The contact of their bodies brought Mihael back into the real world, he let his hands fall back to his sides, face flushed bright red.

"I zoned out, sorry."

It was Nate's turn to hesitate. After a moment's pause he turned to face Mihael, fingers returning to his hair to twirl it anxiously, "no need to apologize, Mihael. In fact… I may need to-"

Nate was cut off by lips on his, a tongue in his mouth much quicker than expected. He expected himself to do something to stop the invasion but all that happened was his body pressing ever closer to Mihael's as he melted into the kiss. Mihael was _good_ at this. Good enough that Nate didn't pull away for a moment, even when the blonde's hands roamed his figure again, feeling the silk draped over it in such an elegant form.

They made their way to the bedroom, Mihael holding Nate's hand with a subtle confidence. Nate told himself relationships like this were not uncommon in the industry.

Mihael's fingers roamed even more over the beautiful material that was Nate's bare skin. He traced patterns into his thighs and ran his fingers over ribs that were just visible beneath a pale canvas of skin. "You're gorgeous, Nate."

Mihael didn't give many compliments.

Nate didn't accept many.

Mihael had him at his mercy and Nate turned over onto his chest, pulling himself up onto his hands and knees as he was gently instructed to do through silent touches. He heard a bottle lid click and sighed, relaxing as much as he could for Mihael. He wanted this. One finger was easy, two was alright, it was three that pushed his limits a bit more. He heard a small groan from behind and blushed, feeling the blonde's irritation.

Mihael had worked him open so nicely, it was a shame when Nate clenched around his fingers, forcing them to start over, a little less resistance present this time around as Mihael scissored and thrusted two, then three fingers inside of the albino boy. Moans as gentle as whispers were falling from soft, pink lips and pale skin was turning red as Nate blushed. To say he was embarrassed by his current state would be massive understatement. He was vulnerable, posed on his hands and knees on the bed as Mihael stood behind him, fingers seeking out his prostate, and finding it in what became a blur of pleasure for a boy who couldn't keep his moans gentle much longer, not like this.

Mihael smirked. Nate's hips bucked, pushing him back against Mihael's fingers eagerly, involuntarily. He had more control than this, Nate would tell himself, arms shaking his they fought to support him. He wouldn't lose himself to this, Nate would tell himself as he sucked in noisy breaths, grinding back on Mihael's three fingers pressed deep inside of him.

"Getting close already Nate? You're a mess and all you're getting are my fingers…" Mihael's free hand found Nate's hair, tugged back, hard, pulling yet another gasping moan from the boy beneath him. Mihael leaned over Nate's body, fingers thrusting hard, aimed with deadly accuracy set on his prostate, hitting it every time as his lips and teeth and tongue found the junction of his shoulder and neck.

Moans that had been more gasp became more keening, more _needy,_ lust burning, coiling, doing flips in Nate's stomach. A desperate, high-pitched whine sounding from the smaller as fingers were withdrawn, the sound melting into a gasp of pure anticipation as the sound of a lid popping open, then closed, signalled what was to come. Mihael brushed against Nate's entrance, seeming bigger than fingers and when it was pushed inside Nate confirmed that he did indeed feel fuller. It was a good feeling though and he found himself counting the seconds it took for Mihael to just…

" _move_ already."

He didn't realize he had vocalized his desires until a grunt came from Mihael and a hand came down to rest on his hip, "if you're sure." Nate nodded meekly, tips of his ears reddening with embarrassment hot enough to make his face burn. Mihael didn't hesitate to draw back out, almost completely before slamming back inside, never one to be gentle once things got heated, it was all it took to push another moan from Nate's throat.

Mihael paused, looking over the small, pale body that he coveted so dearly. Everything about it was soft and small and white or pink. Save for those stunning, sharp, steely eyes and sent shivers down Mihael's spine. And _oh_ how that body ate him up, it held him inside and twitched and jerked and _needed._ It was intoxicating and Mihael wanted every inch of it just as it craved every inch of him.

He gave it just what it wanted, just what it keened and cried and moved and begged for and thrusted until he felt his hips kiss Nate's body and heard a shaky scream of pleasure drawn out of it. White hair was falling in Nate's eyes as Mihael released it to bring both hands to his hips, one knee bracing his body on the bed as he threw most of his weight into fucking Nate just how he deserved to be fucked. Hard.

Gentle moans were a thing of the past, just like the distance between the two bodies now sweating out their frustrations and tensions over Mihael's sheets. Now that Mihael thought about it, that wasn't going to be fun to clean, oh well. None of that mattered. All that mattered was that impending climax that both bodies felt approaching. It was coming at them like a freight train and hit them just as hard, sending them crashing into the bed as hips jerked and moans filled the room with beautiful noise. Nate's hips rolled back, meeting each desperate thrust as they rode out their climaxes, bodies twitching from the overstimulation.

As he came down, Nate could feel his hair sticking to his forehead as could Mihael and a stickier heat lay between them now as they fought to catch their breaths, chest heaving, bodies all but burned up at this point. It was quiet save for pants and the occasional soft whine from Nate for a long moment until Mihael decided to pull out slowly, careful not to disturb Nate's relaxed state as he came to rest beside him, cleaning himself off gently with a tissue.

"You know, Nate, you aren't half bad at more than being a show off." He muttered, rubbing small circles into the model's back with long fingers. He received little more than a glance and soft smile in reply but that was all they needed.

Neither of them said a word about what they had just done, Nate couldn't shake the thought that Mihael must think he was little more than a common whore, going so far with so little to lead into it.

"You need to take me on a date. I don't… Usually do this after the first date and especially not _before_ it." Nate said this sternly, looking over at Mihael who just smiled, nodding softly.

"We'll go for dinner this weekend, you're paying, I'll choose the location and get back to-"

Mihael cut him off with another kiss, this one so soft that Nate melted into it immediately, falling asleep in moments after being drawn into Mihael's arms.


End file.
